Best way to attach a screamer?

Bought one for the ever-growing bean field at the sod farm after almost losing my MAC Performance Scorpion in plain sight.

Immediately went on vacation, and didn't get to fool around with it.

What is the best way to attach it (and where) so that the key gets pulled out at main ejection? And how to keep it from getting burned by the ejection charge?

Thanks.

I tape screamer to shock cord near the NC & then tape the pin about twice the distance of the lanyard down from the screamer so when chute is fully deployed the pin will pull.

The tape holds reliably? I'd have thought that it would have to be tied on somehow. Where does one get these devices anyway? I've recently (as in last weekend) become interested after loosing my Der Green Max in a carrot field even after seeing where it landed...

I got mine from AMW-ProX at the launch. Can order from their site.

EXPjawa said:

The tape holds reliably? I'd have thought that it would have to be tied on somehow. Where does one get these devices anyway? I've recently (as in last weekend) become interested after loosing my Der Green Max in a carrot field even after seeing where it landed...

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I use black electrical tape, even to attach my RF tracker. Never failed. The club I fly at sells them but I'm sure you can find them online.

I use electrical tape to secure my 808 camera to the outside of the airframe. It survived G80 and H115 flights a couple weeks ago.

Chris

Look for personal alarms. They can be had for a couple of dollars at electronics surplus sites, like https://www.sciplus.com/p/HELIX-PERSONAL-KEY-CHAIN-ALARM_54496

Here is one with an added flashing light.. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B9J4H0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

kj

I have bought a few off of ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PERSONAL-A...SA-SUPPLIER-/190875189331?hash=item2c710c4053

Like others said, use electrical tape and tape the body to the shock cord. I put the ring the pin is attached to through a quick link. I've flown several flight with this setup and haven't had any issues with the ring not pulling out, or the screamer coming loose.

One thing - if possible, tape the screamer to the shock cord with the speaker facing the cord. Mine invariably land with the shock cord on top of the screamer. It's surprising how much being on the ground will muffle one of these things.

I drill a hole on the end opposite of the ring/pin. Then I tie kevlar thread to each end and then tie one end of the kevlar thread to the bolt on the nose cone, and the other to the loop of shock cord that comes out of the body tube. These kevlar threads are pretty short (6 inches?) so that it definitely gets pulled when the ejection charge goes off. I make sure I bundle the screamer inside of the nomex so that it doesn't get burnt. Seems to work pretty well.

I'd upload a picture, but I'm about 4000 miles away from my rockets right now.

I just tried it last night with Quik-Links. Pretty easy.

That's sort of how I was envisioning it. Has anyone had issues with the lanyard not detaching, and fouling the chute as a result?

kjohnson said:

Look for personal alarms. They can be had for a couple of dollars at electronics surplus sites, like https://www.sciplus.com/p/HELIX-PERSONAL-KEY-CHAIN-ALARM_54496

Here is one with an added flashing light.. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000B9J4H0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

kj

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I've picked them up for a dollar apiece at Dollar Tree. Surprisingly loud!

This is just my personal opinion, so be aware of that. My suggestion would be to throw the darn thing in the trash. I have used several VERY LOUD alarms in the past, and couldn't hear them until I almost tripped over my rockets. Once again, just my personal opinion, YMMV.

Just gonna put this here for anyone who's still looking for a screamer or sonic locater: https://www.adeptrocketry.com/beepers.htm

I use the personal alarms for screamers, buy them at Target in the section with FireAlarms the cost about $10 each.

jimzcatz said:

This is just my personal opinion, so be aware of that. My suggestion would be to throw the darn thing in the trash. I have used several VERY LOUD alarms in the past, and couldn't hear them until I almost tripped over my rockets. Once again, just my personal opinion, YMMV.

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On the other side of the spectrum, I was lost sight of my rocket coming down as it passed by the sun. I closed my eyes and could follow it by the tracker.

rharshberger said:

I use the personal alarms for screamers, buy them at Target in the section with FireAlarms the cost about $10 each.

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I did the same (got a red one), drilled a hole through it carefully for a kevlar cord loop and when I was testing it at the field in the prep area, it was screeching really loud and I asked the two buddies next to me if they know how long these things last. One replied "a long time...like an hour or so". So I left it on, put it into the rocket, started loading the motor, then the batteries died. Just minutes. No good for me here since even if I hook it up to turn on only after ejection, minutes isn't enough time to find...especially since no one can cross the flight line until all launches are done and then it can be a trek through fields for retrieval. Maybe mine just had bad batts; however it was new in blister pack from Target. YMMV.

On the other hand, i have some window alarms I got at the dollar store (yup, dollar store) and they last a long time; however their solder connections aren't great and I've had one wire come loose on launch. I just went over the joint with more solder and now it seems fine. I like that I can use the magnetic strip to keep it off...much less force required to pull off a magnet than the other unit's pin.

I put the screamer on the recovery harness. Attach one end to the nose cone an the other somewhere down the shock cord, on ejection the pin gets pulled and it starts making noise, until then its silent.

I ordered this one(see link), I live Canada which seem to make hard to find any product. I ordered from china so it will be here in 3 years lol. In the mean time ill be checking dollar stores.

https://www.dx.com/p/smile-style-pe...arm-white-red-multi-color-377689#.VkzrFzGFMRM

Sure to put a :smile: on your face when you find the rocket.

Bat-mite said:

Best way to attach a screamer?

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Rope... :wink:

My L1 rocket went about 2 miles downwind. (Small rocket, big chute.) Had I not had a squeeler I would never have found it. I'm a bit hard of hearing, and I have to cup my hands to my ears to get 100' of range to a squeeler, but that was enough. 'Course, I am deafer in one ear than the other, so I still wandered around and lost it a couple of times before going in the correct direction to get closer to it.

Same rocket failed to pull the pin on a later flight and it sat in the hay until the farmer found it. Since then I use the $1 door alarm squeelers from the dollar store. No pin to pull, just a magnet which can be taped anywhere and packed to separate at ejection. Way smaller and lighter than the 9v battery in the personal alarms.

K'Tesh said:

Rope... :wink:

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Thanks for the photo K'Tesh. I am LMAO . . .

Blackleaf99 said:

Thanks for the photo K'Tesh. I am LMAO . . .

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Thank You!!! I'll be here all week, and don't forget to tip your waitress! :wink:

Blackleaf99 said:

Thanks for the photo K'Tesh. I am LMAO . . .

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Talk about sacrificing to the rocket gods....

Igotnothing said:

My L1 rocket went about 2 miles downwind. (Small rocket, big chute.) Had I not had a squeeler I would never have found it. I'm a bit hard of hearing, and I have to cup my hands to my ears to get 100' of range to a squeeler, but that was enough. 'Course, I am deafer in one ear than the other, so I still wandered around and lost it a couple of times before going in the correct direction to get closer to it.

Same rocket failed to pull the pin on a later flight and it sat in the hay until the farmer found it. Since then I use the $1 door alarm squeelers from the dollar store. No pin to pull, just a magnet which can be taped anywhere and packed to separate at ejection. Way smaller and lighter than the 9v battery in the personal alarms.

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Occasionally fly with TCC, on a big dairy farm outside of Fresno. Lot of land, and sometimes we have to switch fields month to month. Screamers come in really handy when you're flying next to a corn field.

To help out, I got a "Bionic Ear" from Toys-R-Us. About $20 a couple years ago. It's a little plastic parabolic reflector with a mike and a small amp. Using it with the screamer, I can pick the right row to walk down.

Cuz wandering thru corn fields sux.